The Frangipani Year: Love and Aid Work in Post-Tsunami Aceh

One year after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Angela finds herself flying into the devastated region of Banda Aceh as a researcher for the UN. Enthusiastic and committed, the young American woman arrives at a place swarming with young aid workers and she soon enters a world that is nothing like what she has known. Post-tsunami Banda Aceh is a unique bubble where everyday experiences like house hunting or going to a coffee shop are wracked with complications and a work trip can end up at a football game played by elephants. While Angela rapidly becomes disillusioned with the NGO life, she has to cope with falling in love in a region where men and women are traditionally segregated. Soon Angela finds herself wondering if she will have to choose between love and work. View Less